Sega Europe, Creative Assembly, and Hardlight Hit by Layoffs as Sega Sells Relic Entertainment

Sega is undergoing significant restructuring, impacting its various European studios. Sega Europe, Total War developer Creative Assembly, and Sonic Dream Team developer Hardlight are facing layoffs, affecting around 240 roles. Additionally, Sega has sold Relic Entertainment, creators of Company of Heroes and Dawn of War, which now operates independently with external investor support. Despite the corporate changes, Creative Assembly confirms that several projects, including Total War titles and an unannounced game, are still ongoing. Sega Europe's chief expressed regret over the layoffs, citing a "changing economic landscape" necessitating a focus on core strengths and acknowledging the difficulty this period represents for the employees involved.

How will the layoffs at Sega Europe and its studios affect upcoming game projects?

The restructuring and layoffs at Sega Europe and its studios are not expected to halt the development of current projects. Creative Assembly has assured that its ongoing work on Total War titles and other unannounced projects will continue. The studio also intends to provide support to Company of Heroes 3 post-release.

Relic Entertainment, known for strategy games like Company of Heroes and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, has now become an independent studio. This transition represents a significant change for the company after being under the Sega umbrella since 2013. Known for a deep commitment to the strategy genre, Relic's legacy includes the critically acclaimed Homeworld series. With the sale of Relic Entertainment, fans of the studio's franchises will be watching closely to see how their newfound independence will shape the future of their beloved games and the new titles they will develop.